Electric switch



Jan. 3, 1939. J. G. JACKSON 2,142,674

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 23, 1.935

1 N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH John G. Jackson, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 23, 1935, Serial No. 7,745

12 Claims. (Cl. 200-144) This invention relates to apparatus for making secured as by means of rivets 8, an insulating and breaking electric circuits and more particublade hook 9 having a portion ll extending in a larly to electric switches. general arcuate direction around the pivot point One object of this invention is to provide an of the blade and being equipped near its end with electric switch with an improved form of are a slot I2 for the reception of an operating bar I 3 5 barrier. having'a handle portion Ii integral therewith Another object of this invention is to provide and extending outside of the enclosing structure a switch with an improved form of arc barrier as more fully described in the co-pending appliand suppressor. cation.

Another object of this invention is to provide The hook 9 has a portion I5 extending along- 10 a switch blade with a barrier plate movable, side of and below the contact portion of blade 6 therewith and shaped to extend alongside th as is more clearly shown in Figure 2. When the contact break. contacts are separated this portion l5 will be op- Another object of this invention is to provide posite the break and functions as a barrier and 18 an improved form of switch blade having an inin some degree as a suppressor for the arc. The ll tegral insulating hook and are barrier. portion i5 extends alongside of the stationary Another object of this invention is to provide contact jaw 3 when the contacts are engaged an electric switch having a knife blade, insulatand is spaced from the adjacent leg of the jaw ing hook and barrier plate rigidly-mounted toby means of the ofiset I to provide clearance.

20 gether. A modified form of the invention is shown in 20 Further objects and features of the invention Figures 4 and 5. Here the blade i6 is straight will be readily apparent 'to those skilled in the and has an arcuate insulating blade hook I? art from the following specification and the aprigidly secured thereto. An auxiliary plate I8 pended drawing illustrating certain embodiments is also rigidly secured to the blade and hook by of the invention. the common rivets l9. This plate extends be- 25 This application is a continuation'in part of my yond the contact portion of the knife blade in the copending application Serial Number 755,265, direction of engagement of the contacts in the filed November 30, 1934. same manner as portion ii of the hook 9. Here In the drawing: 1 the plate [8 which serves as an arc barrier and Figure 1 is a front view of the inside of the suppressor in a similar manner to portion i5 is 30 switch box with cover removed and parts broken spaced from the contact portion of knife blade away. 1 It by means of the thickness of the blade hook Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view on H and the necessary clearance is thus provided line 11-11 of Figure 1. without the necessity of ofi'setting the blade and Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on a straight knife blade may be used for the mov- 35 line III-III of Figure 1. able contact. Figure 4 is an end view of a contact jaw and The pivot points for the operating rod and the a modified form of contact blade. blade, and the hook slot and point of attachment Figure 5 is a side view of the contact blade of the hook to the blade are so arranged that a 40 shown in Figure 4. smooth arcuate movement of the knife blade is 40 Referring to the form. of my invention shown secured by movement of the handle I4. in Figures 1- to 3 inclusive, an insulating base I These two forms of movable barrier plate, while is mounted in an enclosing structure 2, this base more readily adapting themselves to the type of and its mounting in the enclosing structure beunder-slung contact specifically disclosed'herein, ing more specifically described in the aforesaid can obviously be used with any other type of con- 45 co-pending application. tacts where the necessary clearance space can be Mounted on this insulating base on opposite secured. sides thereof are stationary contact jaws I, 3 While certain preferred embodiments of the having conducting straps l, 4 integral with one invention have been specifically disclosed, it is leg thereof and rigidly securing the jaws to the understood that the invention is not limited 50 base. Pivot jaw members 5. 5 are mounted on thereto as many variations will be readily apthe sides of the base in a similar manner and parent to those skilled in the art and the inpivotally support contact blades 6, 6. Each of vention is to be given its broadest possible interthese contact blades 6 has an offset portion 1 inpretation within the terms of the following termediate its ends to which portion is rigidly claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch contact comprising a blade, an insulating blade hook attached to said blade, said insulating hook having a portion extending below the contact portion of the blade and in spaced parallel relation to said contact portion to provide clearance for a cooperating contact jaw while being positioned alongside the blade and jaw and alongside any are which may be drawn therebetween.

2. A switch contact comprising a blade having an ofiset portion, an insulating blade hook attached to the ofiset portion, said insulating hook having a portion extending below the contact portion of the blade and spaced therefrom by means of said ofiset portion to provide clearance for a cooperating contact jaw while being positioned alongside the blade and jaw and alongside any ar which may be drawn therebetween.

3. A \vitch contact comprising a blade, an in sulating blade hook attached to said blade, and an auxiliary insulating plate mounted over said hook. and extending below the contact surface of the blade in laterally spaced, parallel relation to provide clearance for a cooperating contact jaw while being positioned alongside the blade and jaw and alongside any are which may be drawn therebetween. 1

d. In an electric switch, an insulating base, a contact having a supporting strap secured to the base and a jaw extending along the side of the base, a pivoted contact blade cooperating with said .jaw to open and close the circuit, and an arc barrier movable with said blade and extending parallel thereto and below the portion thereof cooperating with said jaw and positioned alongside any arc which may be drawn between said blade and jaw.

5. In an electric switch, an insulating base, a contact having a supporting strap secured to the base and a jawextending along the side of the base, apivoted contact blade cooperating with said jaw to open and close the circuit, and an arc barrier movable with said blade and extending parallel thereto and below the portion thereof cooperating with said jaw, said barrier being spaced from said blade to clear the cooperating leg of the jaw.

6. In an electric switch, a stationary contact jaw, a pivoted contact blade cooperating therewith, an operating rod, a mechanical connection between said rod and blade, and a plate-like insulating member movable with said blade and extending below the portion of said blade cooperating with said jaw in a plane parallel to and laterally spaced from the plane of said blade portion, and positioned-alongside any are which may be drawn between said blade and jaw.

'1. In an electric switch, a base, a contact jaw alongside said base, means rigidly connecting one leg of said jaw to said base, apivoted contact blade cooperating with said jaw, and a barrier plate mounted on said blade and laterally spaced from the contact portion thereof to clear aiaaera the other leg of said jaw, said barrier extending beyond said portion in the direction of engagement of said contacts so as to be positioned alongside any arc which may be drawn between said blade and jaw.

8. In an electric switch, a base, a contact jaw alongside said base, means rigidly connecting one leg of said jaw to said base, a pivoted contact blade cooperating with said jaw, and a barrier plate mounted on said blade and laterally spaced from the contact portion thereof to clear the other leg of said jaw, said barrier extending beyond said contact portion in the direction of engagement of said contacts, saidbarrier having a portion extending around the blade pivot and having means for connection to an operating member.

9. In an electric switch, a base, a contact jaw mounted on said base with a free space alongside of and below the contact portion thereof, a contact blade pivoted on said base, means for oscillating said blade, and an insulating barrier movable with said blade and extending alongside of and below said jaw into said free space when the contacts are engaged and positionable alongside any are drawn by movement of the blade out of engagement with the jaw.

10. In an electric switch, a stationary contact.

a pivoted contact cooperating therewith, an operating rod, an arcuate insulating member secured to said pivoted contact and having slotted connection with said rod, and an insulating plate movable with said arcuate member and pivoted contact and extending alongside of and below said stationary contact when said contacts are engaged, whereby onseparation of said contacts the plate will function as an arc barrier and suppressor by its position closely adjacent the path of any are formed.

11. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a pivoted contact cooperating therewith, an operating rod, an 'arcuate insulating member se cured to said pivoted contact and having slotted connection with said rod, and an insulating plate movable with said arcuate member and pivoted contact andextending alongside of and below said stationary contact when said contacts are engaged, whereby on separation of said contacts the plate will function as an arc barrier and suppressor, said plate, arcuate member and pivoted contact being rigidly connected, said plate being spacedfrom the pivoted contact by the thickness of the arcuate member.

12. In an electric switch, a'stationary contact jaw, a/movable blade contact associated therewith, an operating rod, an insulating plate rigidly secured to said blade and having a slot receiving said rod, said plate having a portion extending alongside of and below the portion of said blade engaging said jaw and serving as an arc barrier and suppressor, said blade having an ofiset portion to which the plate is attached to allow clearance for a leg of the contact jaw.

1 JOHN G. JACKSON. 

